


Retribution

by theartofimaginaryfriends



Series: Retribution (Hunters TV 2020 Fanfic) [1]
Category: Hunters (TV 2020)
Genre: Antisemitism, Death, F/M, Found Family, Gen, Hitler is dead, Murder, Nazis, Torture, Trauma, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-14 13:49:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28546623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theartofimaginaryfriends/pseuds/theartofimaginaryfriends
Summary: Dina Markowitz, Mindy and Murray's youngest, joins the Hunt after her mothers retirement. Joining the crew on a rendezvous in Europe, Dina finds out just how dark the world can be.
Relationships: Jonah Heidelbaum/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Retribution (Hunters TV 2020 Fanfic) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2091435
Comments: 30
Kudos: 2





	1. Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me A Match

The wounds were still fresh. No one wanted to go back to that mansion, filled with dread and anger towards the Nazi that had conned them all into thinking he was one of them. Jonah Heidelbaum leant against the kitchen counter of his home, listening as Harriet gave a rundown of the next phase in their plans. "We will be given more information on our first target when we arrive in Heathrow. In order to stay incognito, our headquarters will be less extravagant than what we're used to-"

"No five-star hotel?" Lonny interrupted. "Come on, Sister. If Lonny Flash is going to bring home a British babe, he needs a glamourous place."

"There will be none of that nonsense," the nun commanded.

"I doubt most women will even know who you are," Roxy said, smirking at Lonny's offended expression.

"For your information, I'm very popular in Eastern Europe."

"Can we please focus?" Harriet demanded, stopping the bickering at once. "My contact provided us with six plane tickets. I talked to them this morning to clear any confusion, but they claimed there was no mistake."

"What the hell are we supposed to do?" Lonny asked. "We can't just barge into a Synagogue, announce that we're off to kill some Nazis in Eastern Europe and expect volunteers."

"I doubt anyone in my neighbourhood is gonna want to join in," Roxy added.

"Well…" Jonah hated what he was about to suggest. "All of you were found by a matchmaker. What if we went back to her and asked for help?"

"I'm not going to go talk to a bloody matchmaker about new recruits," Harriet scoffed. "I don't know about you lot, but I don't even want to bring more people into this. They might slow us down."

"That contact of yours might not be happy," Lonny teased, looking over his shoulder at the Nun. "I'll go see her. Who knows, maybe I'll find my soulmate, too."

Roxy rolled her eyes at his comment, and Jonah stifled a laugh. Harriet picked up the dossier on the table and smacked the actor's head with it. "If you're so inclined, then go. And come right back, we can't waste any time."

"Got it, Sister." Lonny grabbed his sunglasses, and strut out of the townhome.

Hilda the matchmaker was well-known and well-respected in the Brooklyn Jewish Community. Everyone knew where she lived in the borough, so it didn’t take Lonny a long time to figure out where to go. Standing at the door of her manor, the actor took a deep breath before ringing the doorbell.

A few moments later, Hilda's butler opened the door. "Do you have an appointment?"

"Uh… no," he admitted, feeling awkward. As the butler scoffed and was about to shut the door, Lonny stopped it. "Look, this is an emergency. I need to speak with her about Meyer Offerman."

The news about The Wolf's impersonation spread like a wildfire through Brooklyn, and that comment caused a look of shock on the butler's face. After a few moments, he let the actor through the door and led him to Hilda's office. "Finally come to me to find a wife?"

"I don’t need a matchmaker to find a wife, Hilda," he jokes. "No, I came here because The Hunt's in trouble. We need two new members, and thought you could help."

"If I help you with this, it makes more noise than it did over a year ago," she stated, lips pursed. "After it spread about his true identity… I'm not sure I want to be a part of what he started."

"He may have started it, but this is Ruth's legacy," Lonny stated. Jonah had given the crew that same statement in his speech once everyone had calmed, and the kid had a point. "She was the true brains behind the operation, and we want to continue this for her. Not for that bastard."

Hilda was silent for a moment, staring forward. Her expression was hard to read, Lonny's nerves increased with every second. If the matchmaker denied them help, The Hunt may fail their mission before they even begin it.

"There are two that may be willing."   


Lonny made his way back to Jonah's home, thinking about the two possible recruits that Hilda had given him information on. The gears in his head were turning, and he had felt a ping of guilt. He didn't want any of them to break the heart of a certain old woman, but he had no control over what would come of it.

"Elijah Salomon," Lonny relayed what Hilda had told him to the crew. "Nephew to Ariel Salomon, the leader of the Kosher Nostra. Apparently, he grew up in the mob and learned his way around various weapons. Good at hand-to-hand combat, too. Problem is, it might be hard to get an appointment to see him."

"We will find a way," Harriet said. "Who else?"

"Dina Markowitz." the actor sighed. He hated the idea of bringing her into it.

"Wait, as in Mindy's daughter?' Jonah asked, remembering her from Shabbat School. "And here I thought I would never see her again after Murray's funeral."

"Absolutely not," the familiar fire in Harriet's eyes was reignited. "I refuse to let another child on this team."

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Jonah scoffed. "I'm not a child."

"Yes, you fucking are," she stepped closer to Jonah, but Lonny put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"I don't want to do that to Mindy," Roxy admitted. "But… we should at least see why she was chosen."

"You've got to be kidding me."

"From what I remember, Dina's a lot like her mom," Jonah recalled. "Kind-hearted always wanted to take care of everyone, but had a darkness to her."

"Would she be a good fit?" Roxy asked him, concern in her eyes.

"With proper training, yeah," he nodded.

"Alright, fine," Harriet gave in but was clearly irate. "Lonny and I will go pay Kosher Nostra a visit. Roxy and Jonah will speak with Dina. We'll reconvene back here tomorrow."


	2. Recruitment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lonny and Harriet recruit Elijah. Jonah and Roxy recruit Dina.

Getting an appointment with the Kosher Nostra was harder than anticipated. The mob wanted nothing to do with a crew that a Nazi had set up, feeling the anger and grief as strongly as the rest of the community. Harriet tried everything in her power to get them to listen, but there was no hope. Sick of waiting around, the nun found the entrance password to get into their headquarters.

Lonny felt unsure as they walked through the sketchy alleyway. These guys weren't to be messed with, and if either of them made one wrong move they were done for. Harriet, on the other hand, was too irate to care. As soon as they approached the metal door, Harriet banged on it. A moment later, a slot at eye level opened, and someone stared at them coldly. "We don't take kindly to outsiders. Do you have an appointment?"

"High hat," Harriet responded with the password, not bothering to answer the question. They heard the bouncer sigh, before closing the slot. The door opened, revealing a very annoyed man. It was clear he didn't believe they actually had an appointment, but couldn't turn away someone who knew the password.

"Don't make me regret this."

Staring forward, Harriet walked through the narrow hall and down the steps into their underground HQ. Lonny gave the bouncer a curt nod and followed his partner. When they entered the room, they noticed that the area resembled that of a speakeasy, with 1920s décor and the employees wearing outfits from that era as their uniform. They decided to scope out the area and get a feel for the place before interacting with anyone. Unfortunately for the duo, someone recognized Broadway's supposed favourite insecure actor.

"Yo, is that Lonny Flash?" they heard someone say in the crowd, prompting the members of the Kosher Nostra to aim guns at them. The music abruptly stopped, and everyone's eyes were on the two of them.

"We come in peace," Lonny said quickly, raising his hands as if he were surrendering. "We just want to speak with Elijah Salomon."

"What makes you think he'll want to speak to you?" Their leader, Ariel, came out. "We want nothing to do with The Wolf's little group. Not anymore."

"Wilhelm Zuchs conned us just like he did to you," Harriet said. "All we want is a simple meeting. What comes of the meeting is up to your nephew."

"Listen here, sister," Ariel sneered. "I don't give a shit about what you need-"

"Make it quick." A young man, around his mid-twenties, spoke up and lowered his weapon. Everyone else followed suit much to Ariel's dismay.

"Is this a good idea?"

"Would you rather we get this over with, or have our headquarter covered in bullet holes and broken glass?" Elijah snapped at his Uncle and gestured to Lonny and Harriet to follow him.

They made their way down a dimly lit hallway, ignoring the stares from the members and workers. The music in the main room started up again but grew faint as they continued following Elijah. At the end of the hallway, he opened a door to an office and let the unwelcome guests go inside first. Without a word to his Uncle, he shut the door in the man's face and sat at his desk. "I'm feeling generous, so… you have ten minutes."

Harriet explained why they wanted to meet with him, leaning into the fact that they were more focused on the group being Ruth's legacy. Stressing that it wasn't in memory of a man no one had any respect for any longer, she hoped it would convince him to be a part of the group. Harriet handed the dossier to Elijah, letting him sift through the information her contact had sent her, and let Lonny take over when she got to the bit about the plane tickets.

At the mention of the matchmaker, Elijah looked up from the dossier hoping to see that they were joking. When he realized Lonny wasn't, he paid full attention to the actor. "She recommended you, and someone else to join our team."

"Why me?"

"Because of your weapon expertise," Lonny explained. "Because we lost our soldier and you're the best replacement."

"And what's in it for me?"

As much as Harriet disliked bargaining with this group, she expected that response. She had been studying him since they arrived, and took a shot at what she guessed would convince him. "Separation from the Kosher Nostra. Time away from your Uncle."

They waited as he thought about it, Eli's eyes wandering around the office. There was nothing he wanted more than to leave the bloody mob, and they were handing that to him on a silver platter. However, he couldn't leave without some sort of financial security. The boy had to protect himself at all costs. "I'll join on one condition."

"Which is?" Harriet asked impatiently.

"I get paid."

***

Mindy was shocked to find Roxy and Jonah at her door but invited them in with her usual warmth. She busied herself in the kitchen making tea and went on about how her youngest would be moving back into the home for the rest of the summer. The old woman wasn't quite ready to live with Amy and Ben yet, wanting to give the married couple some time to adjust to their new lives.

Jonah and Roxy glanced at each other in worry, knowing that what they were about to talk to Mindy about would upset her. Her youngest daughter, Dina, was the favourite child in the family. There was no doubt in Jonah's mind that she would protest allowing her daughter to be involved in such a dangerous mission, especially while she's spending the rest of the summer at home. "Enough about me, what brings the two of you here?"

On the way over to Mindy's home, Jonah and Roxy decided that easing Mindy into the situation was the best bet. Seeing as Jonah was too abrasive at times, Roxy was the one to update the old woman on their plans. As she told Mindy the reason for the visit, Jonah automatically went to help with the tea when he noticed her hands begin to shake.

"No," she shook her head when Roxy was done. "No… Dina can't be a part of this. She can't know about it-"

"I can't know about what?" a voice sounded from the front door. Dina made her way into the kitchen, surprised to see the two guests. "Oh, hey Jonah. And… Roxy, right?"

"Hey," he gave her a small smile.

"Nice to see you again," Roxy smiled at the teen.

"You too," Dina smiled back. "I would hope under better circumstances, but by the look on Ima's face, that would be a no, wouldn't it?"

The girl gave her mother a side hug and kissed her on the cheek. "How was your day, _ahuva_?"

"Busy," Dina answered, grabbing a mug for herself. "Glad to be home."

"To answer your question, no we're not here under good circumstances," Jonah told Dina, giving her a soft look. Ever since they were kids, Jonah had a crush on her, and even now he couldn't help his feelings. The calm energy she radiated when they were kids was still apparent, and he knew that her aura alone would help the team significantly.

Mindy was still distraught at the idea of her daughter being a part of the Hunt and kept shaking her head as they told Dina all about it and why they needed her. "Wait, the Nazi hunter thing my parents were a part of?"

"You… you knew?" Mindy asked, looking at her daughter in surprise.

"Since the morning of Amy's wedding, yeah," she nodded. "I woke up in the middle of your meeting. Figured it out fairly easily with the constant mention of Nazis. And Joe's yelling."

"Look, _kindelah_ ," she reached out to grab her daughter's free hand. "This is dangerous. If you join them, it puts a target on your back. I couldn't bear to lose you the same way Murray and I lost Aaron."

Their firstborn son, Aaron, was killed before they entered the camps. A few years after the war ended, and Dina was born, they noticed how similar she was to their son as she grew up. They would tell her that she had his soul, and her birth was a gift from God. Whenever he was mentioned… Dina had to hide her true feelings. It was as if her parents had only ever seen their son, and hung onto that too tight to let go.

"They need me, Mum," Dina gave her an apologetic smile. She couldn't show Mindy that the mention of Aaron upset her, and the prospect of hunting Nazi's scared her shitless. "Ignoring Hilda's advice is pretty much sacrilege in this community. I don't like the idea either, but it seems that I have to."

"Dina…"

"I'll be back home before second-year starts," she promised. "Don't worry about me."

"That's my job," Mindy gave her a weak smile.

"We're meeting at my place tomorrow morning," Jonah told Dina. "We'll leave you two to talk."

"Thanks, Jonah."

As soon as the front door shut, Mindy burst into tears. Dina immediately embraced her mother, trying not to cry herself. She had a feeling it would be worse for her and her mother if she didn't join willingly. Besides, part of her felt that she needed to get revenge for her parents, and for her dead brother she had grown envious of.


	3. Down Memory Lane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jonah shows Dina a photo album from his Bar Mitzvah

Dina's chat with Mindy lasted a long time, the old woman only wishing for her daughter to be safe. It had ended when Dina's - whose stubbornness she got from her father - told her mother that she was doing it to help a friend out and it was her final decision. That was only part of the truth, as Dina didn’t have the heart to tell Mindy the full story.

Now she was in Jonah's kitchen, sitting atop the counter as the boy leaned against it next to her. The room was tense as the Nun spoke and made it clear that she didn’t want Dina and Elijah to be a part of the team.

"The last thing we want is for the Nazis to know where we are," she commanded. "Don't fuck it up for the rest of us."

"Listen, I'm not here for a lecture on how to be discreet," Elijah rolled his eyes. "So either you give us the rundown of the mission or I walk."

Harriet was taken aback at the newbie's talking back to her. Choosing not to lose her composure, she looked at Dina as if inviting her to challenge their leader as well. The girl merely shrugged and allowed her to continue. "I'm as in the dark as you lot as of right now. Our plane leaves next Wednesday at four AM sharp, be at JFK at two or I'll leave without you. When we land, there will be a driver waiting for us - courtesy of my contact - and we'll head to our temporary headquarters. From there, we'll figure out the next steps." 

"We can't just go there blindly." Roxy pointed out.

"We'll bloody have to," Harriet snapped. Jonah glanced at Dina, worried for the new girl. Harriet seemed more irritated than usual, which was saying a lot. He was never sure what set her off like this, but he knew it wasn't good. If Harriet took it out on his friend, all he knew is that he wasn't going to let her be pushed around as the Nun did to him. "I'd rather go in knowing exactly what's going to happen, but my contact doesn't want to give any more information over a phone call. Waiting is our only option."

"Isn't there any way you can find out a little more?" Jonah asked, cautiously. "Like at least where our headquarters will be. I'd rather not walk into a trap."

"And potentially compromise our hideout before we're even there? Absolutely not."

"What? None of you like a little adventure?" Lonny piped up. He was the calmest in the group, seeming to be more excited about the trip than anyone else.

"An adventure?" Roxy raised an eyebrow at the actor. "We're hunting fucking Nazi's and you're calling it an adventure?"

"We're hunting Nazis _abroad_ , Rox," he corrected her. "It's a hell of an adventure! A new unfamiliar place keeps our rendezvous' more exciting."

"Whatever you say, Flash." she rolled her eyes and turned back to Harriet as she cleared her throat.

"I'll keep you all updated if I get more information," she said.

An hour after the meeting ended, Dina was sitting cross-legged on Jonah's bed with an old photo album on her lap. "Oh my god, we were babies."

"This was back when you were taller than me," he laughed, leaning over her shoulder to see the photos. The previous night Jonah found a photo album from his Bar Mitzvah and wanted to show Dina. There were more photos of the duo than he remembered, but it wasn't a surprise. They were best friends during their Shabbat School years, after all.

"It was also back when I had those awful glasses and braces," she winced, partly wishing she never had to look at photos from that phase ever again. "And the obsession with comics? Didn't help."

"Wait, you grew out of it?"

"Not in the slightest," Dina laughed, looking at her friend. "These days most people are surprised to hear that I'm into DC and Marvel."

"I can see why," he chuckled. Dina turned back to the photo album and flipped the page. Her eyes were immediately drawn to a photo of Ruth, Mindy, and Murray. All three of them were smiling at the camera, looking overjoyed. Dina instinctively leaned on Jonah as he put an arm around her waist. Both parties smiles turned sad, and the atmosphere grew glum.

"Do you miss her?"

"Every day."

They sat in silence, staring at the photo. Jonah would give anything to see his Safta's smile again. He wanted to feel her hug, come home to her fresh meals rather than just her cookbooks, and to hear Ruth lecture him like she did every time he got home late.

Dina wanted nothing more than to sit at the kitchen table with Murray, doodling on her homework rather than answering the questions until he notices and tells her to focus. She wanted to laugh as he turned off his hearing aids whenever the family was annoying him. To joke around with him as she helped Mindy with dinner.

A teardrop landed on the plastic sleeve in the album, snapping Dina out of her thoughts. She wiped it off with her jacket sleeve, then wiped the tears from her eyes. "Sorry." 

"Don't apologize," Jonah's voice was as uneven as Dina's, the boy wiping tears from his own eyes. "I understand what you're going through."

He took the photo album off her lap and closed it. Dina sat up straight, allowing Jonah to put the album back on one of his shelves. As soon as he turned around his friend had taken to laying on his bed, right smack in the middle.

"You haven't been over to my place in how long and you're already back to taking over my entire bed?" Jonah couldn't help but laugh. This was an old habit Dina developed when they were kids. It got on his nerves back then, but now it was amusing.

"Old habits die hard, I suppose," she gave him a small smile and shifted to one side. He took that as an invitation and laid down next to her. "I don't want to go home yet."

"Is Mindy expecting you home for dinner?" 

"She said to call if I decide not to," Dina answered. "Ima seems to trust you a lot."

"Yeah," Jonah responded. "Mindy and Murray treated me as one of their own when I first joined The Hunt. It was nice to have them when I needed support the most."

"I'm glad to hear," she said, truthfully. A moment of silence passed between them before Dina spoke up again. "Seeing as Ima's okay with me not going home for dinner, got any ideas?"

"I don't feel like cooking," he groaned. "Pizza?"

"Pizza it is."


	4. The New Headquarters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Hunt settles into their new living arrangements.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't actually know when airport border security became a thing and when firearms on flights were banned but we're just going to go with it because the internet wouldn't tell me.

Once the crew exited the seven hour flight from hell, they followed Harriet through the airport to baggage claim. The Nun insisted that everyone bring carry-on to avoid drawing too much attention, but Lonny ignored her advice - as usual - and checked in luggage anyway. Part of Harriet wanted to leave Lonny's things behind, but thought better of it. If he didn't get a hold of it, he'd be complaining for the rest of their lives.

"Hurry up, we don't have all day." she crossed her arms in annoyance.

"Alright, my liege," Lonny turned around, and dramatically bowed to her.

Harriet rolled her eyes at that comment, and Lonny came back to the group five minutes later. Relieved, Harriet brought them to airport border security. They got through it with ease, lying through their teeth when the officer asked about the possession of firearms. Once allowed through, they made their way to a guy holding a sign with the name 'Paula Thomas.' Harriet had informed everyone the day before that she would be going by that alias with the driver so their plans wouldn't be compromised. "You never know who's listening."

The townhome they would be residing in was similar to Jonah's home. On the second level There were two bedrooms, both with three beds, and one shared bathroom - much to everyone's dismay. The ground level had a comfortable living room, and a small kitchen. On the dining table laid a dossier that Harriet said they'd get a look at later.

"Girls in one room, boys in the other," Harriet commanded, walking into the larger space.

"Why do you get the bigger room?" Lonny complained, quickly being backed up by Elijah and Jonah. Roxy, Dina, and Harriet shared a look before entering the room together without another word.

After more complaints, Lonny eventually gave up and began unpacking in the room assigned to him. "He may have more things than we do, but we don't need Lonny to have a bigger ego because of the size of a room."

"Is he always like that?" Dina asked.

"Yeah, pretty much," Roxy nodded. Roxy wouldn't admit it out loud, but she was happy to share a room with the new girl. Throughout the meetings they had during the week, Dina remained fairly quiet and Roxy wanted to get to know her more. "You always stuck to Jonah's side like glue?"

Dina glanced at Harriet who’s expression changed from satisfaction to disgust. Harriet clearly didn't want her around, not that either of them had much of a choice. "I tend to be more drawn to someone more familiar to me in a group setting. Jonah and I hadn't really talked since my Bat Mitzvah."

"Don't start catching feelings, Love," Harriet warned. "Relationships are a weakness and can get in the way of our plans."

"He's just a friend," Dina shrugged. "That's it. There's nothing to worry about."

Harriet raised an eyebrow at Dina's response, but didn't respond. Jonah clearly liked the girl, and she reciprocated those feelings. Dina put up a good front, but Harriet knew better. If the teens acted on it, they could jeopardize everything The Hunt has worked for. The Nun couldn’t let that happen, not when everything was about to get more dangerous. 

The girls grew silent as they organized their things. Harriet's words ran through Dina's head on loop, and she couldn't help but disagree. Her parents were stronger because they were together. They had survived the Holocaust, and so had their love. The way Dina saw it, relationships were a weakness if you let those feelings get in the way of everything else. They were a weakness if you let them be.

When Harriet left the room to check on the boys, Roxy looked up from the framed photo she set on her night table. "Don't mind Harriet. She can be harsh, but she does it because she cares."

"Not that she'd admit it," Dina gave Roxy a small smile. "Is that your daughter?"

"Her name's Malika," the woman looked at the photo fondly. "She's the light of my life."

"She's cute," she commented. "Looks a lot like you."

"She looks more like her father," Roxy replied, looking back at Dina. "You know, you're a spitting image of Mindy."

"Apparently I 'Mom' everyone just like her, too," she laughed, shaking her head. "Got Aba's stubbornness, and Ima's caretaker personality. It's quite the combination."

At the mention of Murray, Dina's mood shifted. He was a topic she tended to avoid, knowing how much her mood could affect others surrounding her. That was a downside to being an empath, and a big reason for the wall Dina put up around people she didn't know. It was both a blessing and a curse, with the ability to change the atmosphere of a room and being able to feel other people's emotions easier.

Roxy liked the girl, and wanted to break through her barriers. Deciding to switch the subject back to Jonah, she plopped herself on Dina's bed and started talking. "You definitely have feelings for Jonah."

"You're not going to let that go, are you?" she sighed.

"Not one bit."

"Alright, maybe a little," Dina admitted, going with her instincts and trusting Roxy. "I don't know, maybe it's an old schoolgirl crush resurfacing."

"Ignore what Harriet says," Roxy lowered her voice in case. "She means well, but many of us found strength in love. My love for Malika is what motivates me to do this job. Your feelings for Jonah may help not only us, but you in the long run." 

"So you're telling me I should go for it?"

"I'm telling you not to run from it," Roxy laughed. Moving her now empty backpack off the bed, Dina sat on the mattress and continued talking to Roxy as they waited for Harriet to come back to the room. Their leader was taking longer with the boys than expected, not that either of them minded. Roxy hadn't felt this close to someone in The Hunt since Joe left, and Dina was grateful to have someone other than Jonah she felt comfortable around.

"I called my contact and she said she'll meet us here later in the afternoon." Harriet greeted her new roommates. "Now, I don't know about you lot but I'm a bit peckish. Shall we find a café to get some breakfast? Just because we're here on business doesn’t mean we can't explore a bit."

"Food sounds great right now," Dina agreed, getting up from her spot on the bed.

"Sure, why not?"

"Hurry up you three! I'm starving," Lonny whined. All three of them rolled their eyes, and exited the room together.

"You really need to learn patience," Dina told the actor, not even bothering to look at him. As she listened to the rest of The Hunt laugh at her comment and tease Lonny, Dina smiled to herself. Maybe this trip wouldn't be so bad.


	5. A Moment of Vulnerability

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harriet takes the crew to a Cafe she used to frequent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the unannounced two-week break! I was applying and finishing transfer applications for university (got accepted to one program, waiting on the other one for news) and that pulled my focus away from the fic for a bit.

Instead of going to a café close by, Harriet brought the crew to an establishment she used to go to all the time when she lived in England. The place was quaint but lively. Many patrons came in and out, getting a quick breakfast before heading to work. Others stayed and drank their coffee while they read a book. Overall, the café hadn't changed one bit. Harriet felt more relaxed as she took in the scent of freshly ground coffee beans and baked goods.

Harriet got the new members of the Hunt to save a table for the six of them when Harriet spotted it. Dina and Elijah sat in tense silence as they waited, neither of them sure what to say. As an attempt to ignore the tension the younger girl took to people watching and studying her surroundings, curious about the place Harriet raved about on the way over.

It had a homey feeling just like Harriet described, but there was something that the nun left out. There seemed to be a well-masked sadness behind her words that only Dina picked up on, but she didn’t mention anything. One thing she knew is that Harriet wouldn't tell anyone her true feelings. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"This place seems special to Harriet," Dina looked at Elijah. "As if she used to come here with someone special to her."

"That's not any of your business," Harriet commented, taking a seat at the far end of the table.

"Come on, Sister," Lonny sat across from her. "You know about all of our pasts, it's only fair you tell us at least one story. We could've gone to any café, why this one?"

Harriet sighed in defeat, and involuntarily let her guard down as she thought of the last time she was in the café. "I was on a stakeout mission at this café in the sixties. I bought something to blend in, and ended up really liking this place."

The crew waited for her to continue, only to receive a shrug from Harriet and silence. "That's it?"

"Yes."

"No, it's not," Dina argued. She couldn't help it, this was a rare moment of vulnerability from Harriet. "You met someone here didn’t you?"

"Another time, perhaps." Harriet shot a warning look at the girl. Dina turned to stare out the window, watching as people passed by. She half-tuned out the conversation between the crew as she sipped her Latte and ate whatever pastry Jonah had ordered for her.

A sudden wave of unease washed over Dina when she noticed a guy around her age sitting at one of the outdoor tables, reading a book that The Hunt had shown Dina and Elijah that Lonny snagged from a Nazi. The cover was red leather, and the front side had a gold insignia on it that was unmistakable. Dina only looked away from him when he glanced up, and instinctively grabbed Jonah's hand because of her nerves. "Everything okay?"

"We need to leave now," Dina tried to keep her voice even. "There's someone sitting right outside the café, reading a copy of that book you showed us a couple days ago."

"The one with the red cover?" Roxy asked and Dina nodded in response.

"He's staring at us, too," Elijah commented, having checked for confirmation. "We should split up, make it harder for him to follow us back to HQ."

"I was hoping to get groceries after this anyway," Harriet stood up, collecting her dirty dishes. "Roxy, Dina, care to join?"

"Dina should head home immediately," Elijah shook his head. "He seems particularly interested in her."

"Just the two of us, then," Roxy followed Harriet to the dirty dish bin.

"Three and three seem to be a better bet," Lonny commented. "Mind if I tag along with you ladies?"

"Only because you don't know the way back," Harriet teased. "Eli would have a better chance getting Jonah and Dina home."

The crew split off, and Jonah put an arm around Dina's waist hoping that it would help her relax. Elijah walked in front of the couple, speaking at a low enough volume that only they could hear what he was saying. "Don't look behind us, and try to stay relaxed. We're just on a regular walk. I'm going to lead us through the neighbourhood the way our driver came and attempt to lose that Nazi if he starts to follow. Hopefully, we can put enough distance between us and him."

"I wonder if the Fourth Reich somehow found out about our plans," Jonah wondered out loud, causing Dina to involuntarily tense up.

"Let's talk about that later," she shook her head. "Best to discuss it with everyone around."

Silence fell between the three of them as they walked through a complex and confusing path back to the townhome. Despite the route, Dina couldn't shake the anxiety she felt from the Nazi's stares. It took everything in her power to avoid looking behind her. It wasn't until they got inside the house that she looked back through the front window to try and see if anyone suspicious was around. All she saw were a few kids playing on the front lawn at the house across from them.

Without a word to either of the boys, she went into her room and took out her sketchbook. Sitting cross-legged on her bed, she mindlessly drew and let her mind wander. Part of her was annoyed that she was too focused on the Nazi, that she didn't pay any mind to Jonah's arm around her waist. Now that he wasn't by her side, the air around her felt cold.

"You okay?"

"How are all of you so calm?" She asked, shifting over slightly so Jonah could sit next to her.

"It takes some time to get used to," Jonah said. Dina rested her head on his shoulder, prompting Jonah to cuddle her. "My first mission with the Hunt wasn't exactly smooth sailing."

"What happened?"

Jonah told her about Karl Holstedder, and how he gave the Nazi a glass of water because he was demanding it allowing him to cut himself free from the ropes. He recalled all the details, from Joe shooting Holstedder to save Jonah and throwing up when they left the building. "It hasn't gotten any easier."

"Do you regret any of it?"

"No," Jonah responded with no hesitation. "They're getting what they deserve."


	6. Not An Update

Just hopping on here to say that I have the next chapter half-written and don’t have the energy/motivation to write the rest of it so it’ll come next week lmaooooo


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